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The Urgent Need for Harmonized Cybersecurity Regulation in the Mobile Sector

The GSMA has unveiled a critical study titled "The Impact of Cybersecurity Regulation on Mobile Operators," shedding light on the escalating financial burden and risk faced by mobile operators due to fragmented cybersecurity regulations. The report emphasizes that mobile operators are collectively investing between $15 billion to $19 billion annually to bolster their cybersecurity measures. However, this investment is projected to balloon to between $40 billion and $42 billion by the year 2030. Despite this significant financial commitment, many operators find themselves grappling with poorly designed or overly prescriptive regulations, which lead to unnecessary expenditures and divert essential resources away from addressing actual security risks.

Michaela Angonius, who oversees policy and regulation at GSMA, pointed out that the mobile networks serve as the backbone of the digital economy globally. As cyber threats proliferate, these operators are forced to allocate considerable resources to secure digital infrastructures. However, unfitting regulations can hinder rather than help their efforts. The report makes a compelling argument that cybersecurity frameworks should be harmonized, risk-based, and collaborative to effectively enhance global cyber resilience. Poorly implemented regulations may force operators to focus on compliance at the expense of genuine security improvements.

Global Perspective on Cybersecurity Challenges

This report was created in collaboration with Frontier Economics and draws upon a wealth of economic analysis and direct interviews with operators across various regions including Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. It outlines the increasing costs and complexities confronting mobile operators driven by the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, highlighting the importance of intergovernmental collaboration and industry partnerships to alleviate unnecessary costs, particularly for operators functioning in multiple markets.

Identifying Major Regulatory Hurdles

The study has identified several critical challenges prevalent in all markets, such as:

• - Fragmented and Inconsistent Regulations: Operators are often compelled to meet overlapping or contradictory requirements imposed by different regulatory bodies.
• - Proliferation of Reporting Obligations: Many incidents must be reported multiple times in various formats, leading to significant administrative burdens.
• - Prescriptive Compliance Standards: Regulations often mandate specific tools or processes instead of concentrating on genuine security outcomes.

One operator noted that as much as 80% of their cybersecurity team's workload is consumed by audits and compliance tasks rather than proactive threat detection or incident response. Despite these pressures, operators maintain that ensuring the security of mobile networks remains a top priority for their customers and society at large within today's digitally connected world.

Principles for Effective Cybersecurity Regulation

To navigate these challenges, the report outlines a framework for governments and policymakers aimed at creating more efficient and secure cybersecurity standards. Six guiding principles are outlined:
1. Harmonization: Align cybersecurity policies with international standards whenever feasible to mitigate regulatory fragmentation.
2. Coherence: Ensure that newly established policies are consistent with existing regulations, thereby avoiding duplicative or conflicting frameworks.
3. Risk-Based Approaches: Adopt a risk-based and outcome-oriented strategy when designing and implementing cybersecurity regulations, providing operators the flexibility to innovate.
4. Collaboration: Encourage a culture of regulatory collaboration with the industry, supported by secure sharing of threat intelligence.
5. Security by Design: Promote a proactive approach to security from the conceptual design phase to address cyber risks effectively.
6. Capacity Development: Strengthen the institutional capacity of cybersecurity authorities to ensure a comprehensive governmental approach and effective policy enforcement.

The report warns that unilateral and fragmented approaches only increase vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies for international operators. Michaela Angonius further emphasized, "Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. To safeguard citizens and critical social services, regulators and operators must collaborate guided by a common set of principles. When policies are coherent and result-oriented, the entire digital ecosystem becomes more secure."

A Coordinated Global Call to Action

Backed by the GSMA, the mobile industry is urging governments and regulators to reduce unnecessary burdens on mobile operators by fostering collaboration and developing reliable frameworks that promote innovation. This will ensure that mobile networks stay secure, resilient, and capable of supporting the ever-growing reliance on digital services.

For more detailed information, the complete report can be accessed here.

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organization that unifies the mobile ecosystem to unlock innovation essential for positive business environments and social change. Our vision is to unleash the full potential of connectivity to empower people, industries, and societies. Representing operators and related organizations across the mobile ecosystem, the GSMA provides services to its members across three core pillars: connectivity for good, industry services and solutions, and advocacy. This includes driving policies, tackling pressing social challenges, advancing technology, and ensuring interoperability facilitating mobile technology.